Otto Locanda @ Maxwell Chambers

A sister restaurant of Otto Ristorante, Otto Locanda serves up some hearty, trattoria-style dishes. It is located adjacent to the Red Dot building, at the pristine white Maxwell Chamber, directly opposite Tanjong Pagar MRT.
This circular dining area at Otto Locanda made me feel as though I was dining in a lighthouse! I really love the decor of the restaurant with its rich brown hues, contrasted against the mint green walls, with mismatched picture frames plastered all over. This setting exudes a very warm ambience, very much like you’re having a meal over at a friend’s house.Vitello Tonnato [Sliced chilled roast sirloin w tuna sauce & caper berries] ($22) – My first thought when I saw this plate: it is too heavy for a starter. To my surprise, it turned out to be rather light on the palette and even helped to whet my appetite further! The roast beef was sliced as thinly as a piece of paper, adding to tenderness of the meat. As you can see, the meat was done medium well, with some pink, producing a fork-tender texture despite being chilled. The tuna sauce reminded me of Subway’s tuna but much smoother. This is certainly no complaint as tuna sandwich is the only thing I would order from Subway. The fact that the dish was served on a charming plate definitely added brownie points! A must-order for meat lovers I say.Astice all Griglia [Grilled lobster w mix “pinzimonio” vegetables & fresh seasonal fruits] ($30) – One of the most reasonably-priced Boston lobsters in my opinion; so much so that my partner and I decided to opt out from their freshly-made pastas. Granted, the lobster was rather small but adequate if you plan to have desserts after. I felt that the lobster was a little overdone on the grill as the meat was too tough for my liking. As the meat of Boston lobsters are rather firm, it is not easy to perfect the timing when cooking it on the grill, with inconsistent heat. However, by grilling the lobsters, it lent the meat an aromatic smokey flavour that is usually absent when you boil them. I also love the combination of fruits and vegetables, which helps fill you up with fibre and can be very refreshing at the same time. Oh, and major love for the mayo on the lobster head!Crespelle alla Nutella [Homemade crepes filled w “Nutella” & banana ice cream] ($9) – I have a perpetual weakness for crepes (homemade ones, please). This is one sinful dessert but one that is hard to resist as well. They sure are generous with their nutella which was divine with their banana ice cream! The ice cream was perfect in every ways – extremely smooth and velvety with a very strong flavour of fresh bananas. No doubt one of those desserts that leaves your tummy happy!

I will go back to Otto Locanda in a heartbeat. The service was warm and sincere, price point reasonable and food was tasty (though there’s still room for improvement). That evening, Head Chef Marco went around tables asking if diners had enjoyed their meals and even chatted with them. What’s more, he even cleared our used plates – a kind gesture that revealed how humble he is. Thumbs up for Chef Marco! I really look forward to trying their homemade pastas one day!